SC Cleared - Oracle Solution Architect (Lead Architect) - Outside IR35 at VE3, London, £Contract Rate

Role

Oracle Solution Architect - Lead Architect for the Managed Service

Employer

VE3

Engagement

UK Public Sector - Oracle ERP Managed Service

Contract type

Contract Outside IR35

Duration

Length of the managed service contract

Location

UK only. Hybrid with on-site attendance at client locations across the UK as required

Security clearance

SC clearance and UK Nationality essential. Pre-cleared candidates strongly preferred. Eligibility for DV sponsorship desirable if role scope includes privileged administrator access

Reports to

VE3 Account/Engagement Director (with strong functional line into the Service Delivery Manager)

Key interfaces

Client Design Authority, client Enterprise Architecture, client Service Owner and Platform Owner, VE3 Security Lead, VE3 Service Delivery Manager, third-party software vendor (Oracle), other third-party providers

Role purpose

The Solution Architect is VE3's Lead Architect with overall responsibility for the design of changes and solutions on the managed service. They ensure designs meet business needs and requirements, comply with contractual and current Service and Architecture Standards, align with UK Government "Secure by Design" and "Technology Code of Practice" principles, and integrate cleanly with the existing client estate and third-party-vendor roadmap.

This is the senior technical authority for the engagement. They are the design owner the client looks to in Design Authority forums, the technical conscience for the VE3 delivery team, and the bridge between client business intent and VE3 delivery capability across both run-the-business changes and project-scale solutions.

Context

The architectural estate spans the Oracle Fusion SaaS application suite (HCM, ERP, EPM, Supply Chain & Manufacturing, Risk Management Cloud, OTBI, BIP, Oracle Guided Learning), the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure PaaS layer (Oracle Integration Cloud, Visual Builder, Oracle Analytics Cloud, Oracle Business Intelligence Applications, Autonomous Database, Database Cloud Service), the OCI IaaS layer for bespoke and third-party-hosted applications, and a portfolio of standard, custom and manual integrations between these components and external systems.

Designs are submitted and presented at a structured Design Review for approval, administered through the client's ServiceNow Change Management module. The current development lifecycle is Waterfall, with a strategic move toward Agile sprints and an Adaptive approach for exploratory work - the Solution Architect plays a central role in that modernisation.

Key accountabilities
3.1 Lead Architect for the engagement

Hold overall responsibility for the design of all VE3-led changes and solutions, ensuring designs meet the client's business needs, written instructions, and Solution Acceptance Criteria.

For particularly large, complicated or complex designs, assemble and direct the supporting design team: Business Analysts to develop high-level business needs into detailed requirements, Researchers, and a Delivery Manager/Project Manager as appropriate.

Author and present System Change Requests and Design Authority papers for changes where VE3 is leading on design, build and delivery.

Undertake impact assessments of System Change Requests approved for impact assessment by the Design Authority, within the contractually agreed Service Levels.

Attend Design Authority forums; make recommendations for service improvements; maintain an ongoing understanding of the wider client business and technical roadmaps.

3.2 Design quality and standards

Design solutions in accordance with existing contractual and current Service and Architecture Standards.

Design solutions in accordance with UK Government "Secure by Design" and "Technology Code of Practice" principles, plus all referenced security policies and standards.

Document, submit and present designs at a structured Design Review for approval, and complete any resulting remedial or improvement actions as part of solution design acceptance.

Ensure each design package includes: a delivery plan with resource and cost estimates; a change Impact Assessment; a risk assessment; and an assessment of dependencies.

Track and report design effort and cost-equivalent spent on each individual change, as an input to the client's Cost/Benefit actuals process.

3.3 End-to-end Oracle architecture across SaaS, PaaS and IaaS

Own the architectural integrity of the Oracle Fusion SaaS estate: HCM, ERP, EPM, Supply Chain & Manufacturing, Risk Management Cloud, OTBI, BIP, and Oracle Guided Learning.

Own the architectural design of the Oracle PaaS layer: Oracle Integration Cloud (Integration Cloud Service, Process Cloud Service, Visual Builder), Oracle Analytics Cloud, Oracle BI Applications, Autonomous Database and Database Cloud Service.

Own the architectural design of the IaaS layer hosting bespoke VBCS applications, third-party applications, and the data/reporting infrastructure.

Design integrations - standard, custom and manual - covering both the design of new interfaces and the architectural assurance of changes to existing interfaces. Co-ordinate with internal and third-party stakeholders and other providers where required.

Design and assure changes to the lifecycle and environment landscape - production, non-production, training, test - ensuring least-privilege access to masked or real data is preserved.

3.4 Security and risk by design

Embed security controls into every design: identity and access, segregation of duties, RBAC role design, data masking, audit and logging, key and secret management.

Ensure designs meet the client's data residency, encryption, monitoring and audit requirements.

Work closely with the VE3 Security Lead to ensure that designs requiring full-administrator access are scoped, justified, controlled and clearance-aligned.

Carry out and document a risk assessment as part of every design package; escalate residual risks for Design Authority decision.

3.5 Delivery enablement and handover

Ensure designs are deliverable using the same tools and methods the VE3 operational team will use to implement and support changes - including ConfigSnapshot scripts for Oracle SaaS configuration, automated regression test scripts for SaaS regression testing, Terraform code for IaaS artifacts, and VBCS code for bespoke PaaS applications.

Provide a structured hand-over to the VE3 operational team as part of every change transition and release - documentation, scripts, and knowledge transfer needed to implement and support the change long-term.

Clearly identify which aspects of design and delivery are sub-contracted outside of VE3's direct employees, and assure that sub-contract arrangements present no IR35 or TUPE liability risk to the client.

3.6 Technical leadership across the engagement

Mentor and technically direct VE3 Oracle SaaS functional consultants, OCI engineers, VBCS developers and Business Analysts; raise the technical bar across the team.

Lead VE3's response to Oracle product evergreening, advising the client on impacts, opportunities and required actions for each quarterly release.

Maintain VE3's published Architecture Standards for the engagement and contribute to detailed client architecture documentation.

Represent VE3 in technical discussions with Oracle as the strategic software vendor, and act as the senior technical interface with other third-party providers.

4. Essential experience and skills

At least 8-10 years' hands-on Oracle architecture experience, with a minimum of 3 years as a Lead Architect on an Oracle Fusion programme of comparable complexity.

Deep hands-on design experience across Oracle Fusion SaaS (HCM, ERP, EPM) - including configuration patterns, RBAC, security model, BIP/OTBI reporting, and integration points.

Strong hands-on experience of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure PaaS - Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC, Process Cloud, VBCS), Oracle Analytics Cloud, Oracle BI Applications, Autonomous Database, Database Cloud Service.

Working knowledge of OCI IaaS - networking (VCN, subnets, DRG, load balancers, WAF), compute, storage, IAM, audit, vault - sufficient to direct OCI engineers.

Demonstrable experience designing custom integrations (REST/SOAP, file-based, OIC adapters, message-based) and resolving integration patterns between Oracle SaaS and external systems.

Track record of presenting designs and System Change Requests at a formal Design Authority and securing approval first time.

Strong working knowledge of UK Government "Secure by Design" and "Technology Code of Practice" principles; comfortable applying NCSC HMG IAS5 and Cyber Assessment Framework controls to designs.

Experience operating across Waterfall, Agile and Adaptive delivery approaches; able to design at the right level of detail for each.

Excellent written and verbal communication: design documentation, executive papers, Design Authority presentations, and structured Design Reviews.

5. Essential clearance and eligibility

SC clearance and UK Nationality - required because the role holds, processes and discusses client data. Pre-cleared candidates strongly preferred to be effective from Week 1.

Eligible to apply for DV clearance through client sponsorship if scope extends to privileged administrator access to infrastructure or unsanitised data.

Willing and able to work exclusively from within the UK; no work on the client system may be conducted from outside the UK.

Willing to attend client locations across the UK as required.

6. Desirable

Oracle Cloud certifications: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Architect Professional; Oracle Cloud Application Architect; Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications (HCM/ERP/EPM) certifications.

TOGAF 9/10 Certified, or equivalent enterprise architecture certification.

Hands-on experience of EPM Groovy scripting, ConfigSnapshot tooling, Terraform-based IaaS provisioning, and VBCS application development.

Prior architecture experience on a UK Central Government Oracle ERP managed service at OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE classification.

Exposure to Oracle's roadmap and a working relationship with Oracle UK Government Cloud teams.

Experience leading the Waterfall-to-Agile transition of an ERP development capability.

7. Personal attributes

Technically authoritative; able to challenge Oracle, the client and the VE3 team constructively without losing the room.

Pragmatic - designs to the constraints of the actual estate, not the textbook reference architecture.

Strong written craft: clear, structured, decision-ready architecture documentation.

Genuinely curious about the client's business - Finance, HR, Project - not just the technology.

Collaborative leader who raises the technical bar of those around them rather than gatekeeping knowledge.

8. Key performance indicators

100% of designs approved at first or second Design Review pass.

Impact Assessments completed within the contractually agreed Service Levels.

Zero security findings against VE3 designs in client or external audit.

Design cost-equivalent tracking accurate and submitted on time for every change.

Demonstrable uplift in technical capability of the wider VE3 engagement team over the first 12 months.

Clean architectural alignment between VE3 designs and the client's published Enterprise Architecture roadmap.

3.3 End-to-end Oracle architecture across SaaS, PaaS and IaaS

Own the architectural integrity of the Oracle Fusion SaaS estate: HCM, ERP, EPM, Supply Chain & Manufacturing, Risk Management Cloud, OTBI, BIP, and Oracle Guided Learning.

Own the architectural design of the Oracle PaaS layer: Oracle Integration Cloud (Integration Cloud Service, Process Cloud Service, Visual Builder), Oracle Analytics Cloud, Oracle BI Applications, Autonomous Database and Database Cloud Service.

Own the architectural design of the IaaS layer hosting bespoke VBCS applications, third-party applications, and the data/reporting infrastructure.

Design integrations - standard, custom and manual - covering both the design of new interfaces and the architectural assurance of changes to existing interfaces. Co-ordinate with internal and third-party stakeholders and other providers where required.

Design and assure changes to the lifecycle and environment landscape - production, non-production, training, test - ensuring least-privilege access to masked or real data is preserved.

3.4 Security and risk by design

Embed security controls into every design: identity and access, segregation of duties, RBAC role design, data masking, audit and logging, key and secret management.

Ensure designs meet the client's data residency, encryption, monitoring and audit requirements.

Work closely with the VE3 Security Lead to ensure that designs requiring full-administrator access are scoped, justified, controlled and clearance-aligned.

Carry out and document a risk assessment as part of every design package; escalate residual risks for Design Authority decision.

3.5 Delivery enablement and handover

Ensure designs are deliverable using the same tools and methods the VE3 operational team will use to implement and support changes - including ConfigSnapshot scripts for Oracle SaaS configuration, automated regression test scripts for SaaS regression testing, Terraform code for IaaS artifacts, and VBCS code for bespoke PaaS applications.

Provide a structured hand-over to the VE3 operational team as part of every change transition and release - documentation, scripts, and knowledge transfer needed to implement and support the change long-term.

Clearly identify which aspects of design and delivery are sub-contracted outside of VE3's direct employees, and assure that sub-contract arrangements present no IR35 or TUPE liability risk to the client.

3.6 Technical leadership across the engagement

Mentor and technically direct VE3 Oracle SaaS functional consultants, OCI engineers, VBCS developers and Business Analysts; raise the technical bar across the team.

Lead VE3's response to Oracle product evergreening, advising the client on impacts, opportunities and required actions for each quarterly release.

Maintain VE3's published Architecture Standards for the engagement and contribute to detailed client architecture documentation.

Represent VE3 in technical discussions with Oracle as the strategic software vendor, and act as the senior technical interface with other third-party providers.

4. Essential experience and skills

At least 8-10 years' hands-on Oracle architecture experience, with a minimum of 3 years as a Lead Architect on an Oracle Fusion programme of comparable complexity.

Deep hands-on design experience across Oracle Fusion SaaS (HCM, ERP, EPM) - including configuration patterns, RBAC, security model, BIP/OTBI reporting, and integration points.

Strong hands-on experience of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure PaaS - Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC, Process Cloud, VBCS), Oracle Analytics Cloud, Oracle BI Applications, Autonomous Database, Database Cloud Service.

Working knowledge of OCI IaaS - networking (VCN, subnets, DRG, load balancers, WAF), compute, storage, IAM, audit, vault - sufficient to direct OCI engineers.

Demonstrable experience designing custom integrations (REST/SOAP, file-based, OIC adapters, message-based) and resolving integration patterns between Oracle SaaS and external systems.

Track record of presenting designs and System Change Requests at a formal Design Authority and securing approval first time.

Strong working knowledge of UK Government "Secure by Design" and "Technology Code of Practice" principles; comfortable applying NCSC HMG IAS5 and Cyber Assessment Framework controls to designs.

Experience operating across Waterfall, Agile and Adaptive delivery approaches; able to design at the right level of detail for each.

Excellent written and verbal communication: design documentation, executive papers, Design Authority presentations, and structured Design Reviews.

5. Essential clearance and eligibility

SC clearance and UK Nationality - required because the role holds, processes and discusses client data. Pre-cleared candidates strongly preferred to be effective from Week 1.

Eligible to apply for DV clearance through client sponsorship if scope extends to privileged administrator access to infrastructure or unsanitised data.

Willing and able to work exclusively from within the UK; no work on the client system may be conducted from outside the UK.

Willing to attend client locations across the UK as required.

6. Desirable

Oracle Cloud certifications: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Architect Professional; Oracle Cloud Application Architect; Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications (HCM/ERP/EPM) certifications.

TOGAF 9/10 Certified, or equivalent enterprise architecture certification.

Hands-on experience of EPM Groovy scripting, ConfigSnapshot tooling, Terraform-based IaaS provisioning, and VBCS application development.

Prior architecture experience on a UK Central Government Oracle ERP managed service at OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE classification.

Exposure to Oracle's roadmap and a working relationship with Oracle UK Government Cloud teams.

Experience leading the Waterfall-to-Agile transition of an ERP development capability.

7. Personal attributes

Technically authoritative; able to challenge Oracle, the client and the VE3 team constructively without losing the room.

Pragmatic - designs to the constraints of the actual estate, not the textbook reference architecture.

Strong written craft: clear, structured, decision-ready architecture documentation.

Genuinely curious about the client's business - Finance, HR, Project - not just the technology.

Collaborative leader who raises the technical bar of those around them rather than gatekeeping knowledge.

8. Key performance indicators

100% of designs approved at first or second Design Review pass.

Impact Assessments completed within the contractually agreed Service Levels.

Zero security findings against VE3 designs in client or external audit.

Design cost-equivalent tracking accurate and submitted on time for every change.

Demonstrable uplift in technical capability of the wider VE3 engagement team over the first 12 months.

Clean architectural alignment between VE3 designs and the client's published Enterprise Architecture roadmap.

Key accountabilities
3.1 Lead Architect for the engagement

Hold overall responsibility for the design of all VE3-led changes and solutions, ensuring designs meet the client's business needs, written instructions, and Solution Acceptance Criteria.

For particularly large, complicated or complex designs, assemble and direct the supporting design team: Business Analysts to develop high-level business needs into detailed requirements, Researchers, and a Delivery Manager/Project Manager as appropriate.

Author and present System Change Requests and Design Authority papers for changes where VE3 is leading on design, build and delivery.

Undertake impact assessments of System Change Requests approved for impact assessment by the Design Authority, within the contractually agreed Service Levels.

Attend Design Authority forums; make recommendations for service improvements; maintain an ongoing understanding of the wider client business and technical roadmaps.

3.2 Design quality and standards

Design solutions in accordance with existing contractual and current Service and Architecture Standards.

Design solutions in accordance with UK Government "Secure by Design" and "Technology Code of Practice" principles, plus all referenced security policies and standards.

Document, submit and present designs at a structured Design Review for approval, and complete any resulting remedial or improvement actions as part of solution design acceptance.

Ensure each design package includes: a delivery plan with resource and cost estimates; a change Impact Assessment; a risk assessment; and an assessment of dependencies.

Track and report design effort and cost-equivalent spent on each individual change, as an input to the client's Cost/Benefit actuals process.

3.3 End-to-end Oracle architecture across SaaS, PaaS and IaaS

Own the architectural integrity of the Oracle Fusion SaaS estate: HCM, ERP, EPM, Supply Chain & Manufacturing, Risk Management Cloud, OTBI, BIP, and Oracle Guided Learning.

Own the architectural design of the Oracle PaaS layer: Oracle Integration Cloud (Integration Cloud Service, Process Cloud Service, Visual Builder), Oracle Analytics Cloud, Oracle BI Applications, Autonomous Database and Database Cloud Service.

Own the architectural design of the IaaS layer hosting bespoke VBCS applications, third-party applications, and the data/reporting infrastructure.

Design integrations - standard, custom and manual - covering both the design of new interfaces and the architectural assurance of changes to existing interfaces. Co-ordinate with internal and third-party stakeholders and other providers where required.

Design and assure changes to the lifecycle and environment landscape - production, non-production, training, test - ensuring least-privilege access to masked or real data is preserved.

3.4 Security and risk by design

Embed security controls into every design: identity and access, segregation of duties, RBAC role design, data masking, audit and logging, key and secret management.

Ensure designs meet the client's data residency, encryption, monitoring and audit requirements.

Work closely with the VE3 Security Lead to ensure that designs requiring full-administrator access are scoped, justified, controlled and clearance-aligned.

Carry out and document a risk assessment as part of every design package; escalate residual risks for Design Authority decision.

3.5 Delivery enablement and handover

Ensure designs are deliverable using the same tools and methods the VE3 operational team will use to implement and support changes - including ConfigSnapshot scripts for Oracle SaaS configuration, automated regression test scripts for SaaS regression testing, Terraform code for IaaS artifacts, and VBCS code for bespoke PaaS applications.

Provide a structured hand-over to the VE3 operational team as part of every change transition and release - documentation, scripts, and knowledge transfer needed to implement and support the change long-term.

Clearly identify which aspects of design and delivery are sub-contracted outside of VE3's direct employees, and assure that sub-contract arrangements present no IR35 or TUPE liability risk to the client.

3.6 Technical leadership across the engagement

Mentor and technically direct VE3 Oracle SaaS functional consultants, OCI engineers, VBCS developers and Business Analysts; raise the technical bar across the team.

Lead VE3's response to Oracle product evergreening, advising the client on impacts, opportunities and required actions for each quarterly release.

Maintain VE3's published Architecture Standards for the engagement and contribute to detailed client architecture documentation.

Represent VE3 in technical discussions with Oracle as the strategic software vendor, and act as the senior technical interface with other third-party providers.

4. Essential experience and skills

At least 8-10 years' hands-on Oracle architecture experience, with a minimum of 3 years as a Lead Architect on an Oracle Fusion programme of comparable complexity.

Deep hands-on design experience across Oracle Fusion SaaS (HCM, ERP, EPM) - including configuration patterns, RBAC, security model, BIP/OTBI reporting, and integration points.

Strong hands-on experience of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure PaaS - Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC, Process Cloud, VBCS), Oracle Analytics Cloud, Oracle BI Applications, Autonomous Database, Database Cloud Service.

Working knowledge of OCI IaaS - networking (VCN, subnets, DRG, load balancers, WAF), compute, storage, IAM, audit, vault - sufficient to direct OCI engineers.

Demonstrable experience designing custom integrations (REST/SOAP, file-based, OIC adapters, message-based) and resolving integration patterns between Oracle SaaS and external systems.

Track record of presenting designs and System Change Requests at a formal Design Authority and securing approval first time.

Strong working knowledge of UK Government "Secure by Design" and "Technology Code of Practice" principles; comfortable applying NCSC HMG IAS5 and Cyber Assessment Framework controls to designs.

Experience operating across Waterfall, Agile and Adaptive delivery approaches; able to design at the right level of detail for each.

Excellent written and verbal communication: design documentation, executive papers, Design Authority presentations, and structured Design Reviews.

5. Essential clearance and eligibility

SC clearance and UK Nationality - required because the role holds, processes and discusses client data. Pre-cleared candidates strongly preferred to be effective from Week 1.

Eligible to apply for DV clearance through client sponsorship if scope extends to privileged administrator access to infrastructure or unsanitised data.

Willing and able to work exclusively from within the UK; no work on the client system may be conducted from outside the UK.

Willing to attend client locations across the UK as required.

6. Desirable

Oracle Cloud certifications: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Architect Professional; Oracle Cloud Application Architect; Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications (HCM/ERP/EPM) certifications.

TOGAF 9/10 Certified, or equivalent enterprise architecture certification.

Hands-on experience of EPM Groovy scripting, ConfigSnapshot tooling, Terraform-based IaaS provisioning, and VBCS application development.

Prior architecture experience on a UK Central Government Oracle ERP managed service at OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE classification.

Exposure to Oracle's roadmap and a working relationship with Oracle UK Government Cloud teams.

Experience leading the Waterfall-to-Agile transition of an ERP development capability.

7. Personal attributes

Technically authoritative; able to challenge Oracle, the client and the VE3 team constructively without losing the room.

Pragmatic - designs to the constraints of the actual estate, not the textbook reference architecture.

Strong written craft: clear, structured, decision-ready architecture documentation.

Genuinely curious about the client's business - Finance, HR, Project - not just the technology.

Collaborative leader who raises the technical bar of those around them rather than gatekeeping knowledge.

8. Key performance indicators

100% of designs approved at first or second Design Review pass.

Impact Assessments completed within the contractually agreed Service Levels.

Zero security findings against VE3 designs in client or external audit.

Design cost-equivalent tracking accurate and submitted on time for every change.

Demonstrable uplift in technical capability of the wider VE3 engagement team over the first 12 months.

Clean architectural alignment between VE3 designs and the client's published Enterprise Architecture roadmap.